Meet the sINgSPIRE Instructors

Our passionate and talented instructors are professional musicians and instructors specializing in singing. They look forward to sharing their passion for music and the art of singing with each student by lessons via video-call.

MAREN ENGEL has a vast resumé of musical involvement beginning from her early years in Tulsa, OK. Whether it is singing with The South Dakota Chorale, FCC Ensemble Singers, being active in The Good Night Theatre Collective's Cabarets, or cultivating a love for making music in her students, Maren is a staple in the music community and has traveled worldwide sharing her voice. Maren holds a B.A. from Augustana University.

NATALIE CAMPBELL holds a B.M. from Houghton College, NY, and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of South Dakota. Natalie not only shares her voice creating unforgettable music with The South Dakota Chorale and The Rose Ensemble, but she also uses it to inspire developing musicians through her passion for teaching. Natalie is currently a private voice instructor at Augustana University and the University of Sioux Falls.

MANDI STEELE earned her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Boise State University followed by her master’s degree from the University of South Dakota. While music has always played a leading role in Mandi’s life, empowering others to share their unique voices is at the heart of her life’s passion. While encouraging a love for music in her students, Mandi shares her voice through singing with The South Dakota Chorale, Transept, and other community music opportunities.

WHITNEY WERNER's love for singing began when she was in high school and was cultivated by an inspiring and motivating teacher. Whitney’s love for music only grew as she immersed herself in making music and touring with the Concordia Choir graduating with a B.A. from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Today, Whitney continues to share her voice and love for singing through soloing for area choral works, being a part of The South Dakota Chorale, and teaching within her private voice studio.

ASHLEY BALLOU-BONNEMA is the founder of Breathe Bravely and the visionary behind sINgSPIRE. Ashley holds a B.A. from Augustana University and a M.M. degree in Vocal Performance from the University of South Dakota. She works as a professional musician maintaining a private voice studio for High School students in Sioux Falls, SD while tirelessly advocating for the cystic fibrosis community.

BECCA MAHOWALD is a recent graduate of Augustana University where she studied music education. Because of the impact music has played on her own life, Becca is inspired to share the power of music with others. Becca has shared her love of music while touring domestically in the United States and internationally with the Augustana Choir and Chamber Choir. Whether she is uniting her voice with many in a choir, simply sharing her voice as a soloist, or making music in a classroom, the influence music has had on Becca's life is clearly alive in every powerful note she shares.

KAELA DEJONG holds a B.M. in Music Education from the University of South Dakota. Playing such an important role in her own life, Kaela's love for music inspired her to pursue music education as her life's calling. She is both an impassioned teacher and performer -embracing and sharing the unique and powerful impact music can have on every individual's life. Kaela fills her own soul with song through singing a part of professional ensembles Transept and Vocal Artists of Iowa while empowering students of all ages as a K-12 music teacher in Montezuma, IA.